Holder for mandolin-picks



(No Model.)

P. WAHL.

HOLDER FOR MANDOLIN PICKS.

No. 557,293. Patented Mar. 31, 1896.

[NI/ENTER UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK IVAIIL, OF CINCINNATI, OIIIO.

HOLDER FOR MANDOLIN-PICKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,293, dated March 31, 1896.

Application filed January 18,1896. Serial No- 5'76,001. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK \VAHL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Holders for Mandolin-Picks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in holders formandolin-picks; and it consists in a holder of concavo-convex elastic material whereby the contact between the holder and the pick is varied by varying the pressure of the thumb and finger against it, so as to hold the pick loose and free to produce low soft tones or stiff and rigid to produce loud sounds. I also increase the flexibility of the pick when desired by hinging it to the holder, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In ordinary usea mandolin-pick is held between the thumb and finger. It being made of a small thin piece of tortoise-shell or similar material, it must be held with a certain tension or pressure to prevent its slipping out of place, andthus held it is impossible to produce very soft notes.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of one form of my improved holder. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of a different form of holder with the pick hinged. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the same, and Fig. 6 is a side view.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A A are saucer-shaped disks, of rubber or any elastic material. Springs of thin steel may be used if desired, though I prefer rubber.

B is the pick, of the ordinary shape and material, fastened between the disks A A at their center. These disks form the holder between the thumb and finger. As the pressure of the thumb and finger is increased, the disks are flattened against the pick, increasing the amount of contact until, if necessary, the whole surface of the disks is pressed against the pick, holding it firm and rigid.

By attaching to one of the disks a flexible arm 0 and to said arm a spring D to grasp the thumb above the middle joint, or by attaching directly to one of the disks a spring or elastic ring, asI in Fig. 4, the pressure 011 the pick may be relaxed until it swings almost absolutely loose, and the pick can be swept across the strings with such a delicacy of touch as to produce the softest sounds, while by simply increasing the pressure any variation may be produced. By thus provid- 6o creased and results produced of which it was never before capable.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 I have shown a different form of holder. Instead of saucer-shaped disks are two concavo-convex pieces F F, of

flexible material, such as rubber, fastened together at one end, as shown at p, the concave faces toward one another, and between them is the pick G, held by the hinge H, preferably of a simple strip of rubber. To one of the concavo-convex holders is attached an elastic ring I, which may be placed around the thumb. When thus held, the pick may be drawn across the strings with the lightest touch or held perfectly rigid and produce every variety of sounds from the softest to the loudest.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A mandolin-pick holder consisting of two concavo-convex disks or thumb and finger pieces attached to the pick, of elastic material, substantially as shown and described.

2. A mandolin-pick holder consisting of two elastic concavo-convex disks or thumb and 0 finger pieces with the pick hinged between them, substantially as shown and described.

3. Amandolin-pick holder consisting of two elastic concave-convex disks or thumb and finger pieces attached to the pick and an elastic ring to embrace the thumb or finger, substantially as shown and described.

FREDERICK WAHL. lVitnesses:

GEORGE HEIDMAN, HARVEY EDWARDS. 

